Well now, this is getting ugly. Ugly indeed. I figured Mourinho would be gone by the end of the weekend, but he battles on, defiant. His post-match interview following his side’s sixth defeat in 11 Premier League matches was typical Mourinho. Crisis? What crisis? The fans sang his name, that was all he needed. Of course, love and admiration will only get you so far. Results will win out in the end. The silver lining for Mourinho is that he won’t have to watch his side amble through another Premier League match this weekend. He’ll be at home, feet up, watching Question of Sport re-runs, while they take on Stoke at the Britannia. Wouldn’t it be lovely if they won?
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Saturday 7 November
23/20 Bournemouth | Draw 47/20 | Newcastle 22/10 (14:45)
Before that, though, we have a couple interesting matches to get through, starting with Newcastle’s trip to the south coast. The Magpies were undone by an exceptional performance from Jack Butland at the weekend. Their football has improved in recent weeks, even if the results haven’t. Their meeting with Bournemouth provides a great opportunity to pick up three points. Eddie Howe’s side huffed and puffed against Southampton, but the quality simply isn’t there. It’s going to be a long season for the south coast club without Callum Wilson and unless they buy well in January, they are doomed. Back the Magpies to lift themselves out of the bottom three with a win at 22/10.
15/20 Leicester | 26/10 | Watford 33/10 (17:00)
Can anyone stop Jamie Vardy? The man is a goal-scoring machine. One of my colleagues even suggested him as good as Michael Owen in his pomp. Crazy talk that, but he is in some fine form. His goal helped seal yet another come-from-behind win for the Foxes against West Brom. I hope you followed my advice and got on in-play. This weekend they host Watford at the King Power Stadium. The Hornets did me good and proper last weekend, with Odion Ighalo grabbing a brace in a 2-0 win over West Ham. I knew I shouldn’t have benched him. Oh well, they’re in decent nick – this one should be worth watching. I’m backing Both Teams To Score at 15/20 – I suggest you do the same.
3/10 Man United | 39/10 | West Brom 9/1 (17:00)
Are Man United the most boring team ever? Are they more boring than watching the Springboks play rugby? Are they, in fact, more boring than Michael Owen speaking about horses? They are all these things, and none of them. Louis van Gaal’s side were on the right track, with Anthony Martial leading the line and Wayne Rooney playing second fiddle. Somehow, though, he got in his head it would be a good idea to give Wazza another chance. His hair might make it look like he is aging backwards, but his legs tell a different story. It’s really saying something when a Tony Pulis side offers more threat than you. Give it up Louis. Go back to basics and drop Rooney deeper. He won’t, and this will end goalless. Back Under 2.5 Goals at 9/10 – no need to watch this.
29/20 Norwich | 9/4 | Swansea 18/10 (17:00)
Norwich did much better against Man City than I had anticipated. Were it not for John Ruddy’s flap and subsequent walkabout, they may have even made off with a point. In this league you make your own luck – nothing is handed to you. Swansea weren’t bad against Arsenal, but they still ended up on the bad end of a 3-0 scoreline. It has been a harsh reality check for Gary Monk and his team, winning just one of their seven matches since dispatching Man Utd at the end of August. Bafetimbi Gomis, all pace and power earlier this season, is more house cat than panther at the moment. The history of this fixture suggests goals and I tend to agree. Over 2.5 Goals is the bet for me here at 9/10.
38/10 Sunderland | 26/10 | Southampton 7/10 (17:00)
Big Sam’s boys came crashing back down to earth on Sunday after getting hit for six by Everton. Sam had barely finish his half-time cuppa before the goals starting flying in at the start of the second half. He’ll need to lift the lads for the visit of Southampton this weekend. The Saints gave a Jekyll and Hyde performance against Bournemouth, but come into the match in good form, having gone unbeaten in their last five. The Italian Olivier Giroud, Graziano Pelle, has been causing defences all sorts of problems and Saturday will be no different. Last season Southampton put eight past the Black Cats, but for some reason I think Big Sam’s team can pull off a result. Call it a hunch, but I’m backing the draw at 26/10.
29/20 West Ham | 24/10 | Everton 17/10 (17:00)
God damn Andy Carroll! If it wasn’t enough that he made Liverpool part with £35 million for his signature, now he is putting me out of my bets with some calamitous defending. Stay up front son, or in the treatment room where you belong. Slaven Bilic got it all wrong and West Ham were terrible against Watford. Such is the life of a gambler. They’ll need to up their game, because they’ve got a rampant Everton side to deal with on Saturday. The Toffees were sublime against Sunderland. Gerard Deulofeu caused the initial incision and Romelu Lukaku and Aroune Kone tore them apart. The ball from Lukaku for Kone’s third should be on display at the Vatican City, such was it’s beauty. I hope we see the best of both these teams, because we could be in for a thriller.Both Teams to Score and an Everton win – I’ll have some of that at 36/10.
26/10 Stoke | 47/20 | Chelsea 1/1 (19:30)
Onto Saturday’s final match, where Jose Mourinho will be fighting for his job, dropping players at random in the hope that he excludes the one who would rather lose for him than win. My money is on Nemanja Matic. Can Chelsea honestly get a result at Stoke? The Britannia is not the fortress it once was. Stoke have already lost to Liverpool, Watford and West Brom at home this season. All those sides are above Chelsea in the league, though, as are Stoke. Chelsea are in a bad way, and things are about to get worse. I’m backing the Potters at 26/10.
Sunday 8 November
11/2 Aston Villa | 34/10 | Man City 9/20 (15:30)
Aston Villa will have a new manager in the dugout for Sunday’s match against Manchester City. Remi Garde was at White Hart Lane on Monday to see his new side fall rather meekly to Spurs. Villa just seem a little lightweight at the moment, even with Rudy Gestede on the field. Garde will certainly help to tighten things up at the back, but with the players at his disposal he is extremely limited. City weren’t great against Norwich, but they got the job done. I feel this match could tread a similar path. I’ve been burned on this before, but I’m going back for more.Draw-City on the HT-FT double at 3/1 looks too good to pass up.
11/20 Arsenal | 32/10 | Tottenham 4/1 (18:00)
The big match of the weekend comes from North London, where Arsenal will host an ever-improving Spurs side. Spurs have been miserly on defence this term, with Alderweireld and Vertonghen proving an indomitable centre back pairing. Throw in Hugo Lloris and you’ve got one of the best defences in the league. Now normally, the North London derby is all about goals, but recent seasons have seen the goals dry up. The Gunners may be in fine form, but a midweek trip to Munich should take a bit out of them. I sense the European action could influence the result here, making the draw a runner at 32/10.
13/20 Liverpool | 11/4 | Crystal Palace 17/4 (18:00)
The final match of the weekend has Crystal Palace visiting Anfield in what should be an enthralling match. The Eagles did the double over the Reds last season, winning 3-1 home and away. Alberto Moreno still has nightmares about Yannick Bolasie. It was Moreno who was at fault at Stamford Bridge, but two stunners from Philippe Coutinho and another from Christian Benteke were enough to secure Jurgen Klopp his first win as Liverpool manager. Klopp will be tempted to start with Benteke up front for this one. The big Belgian tormented the Chelsea defence after coming on and should have no problem doing the same to Scott Dann and Brede Hangeland. More goals? You betcha. Back the overs at 9/10 – I’m banking on there being plenty goals this weekend.
Written by Commodore Vegas
EPL Picks
Newcastle WIN 22/10
Leicester BTTS 15/20
Man United UNDER 2.5 GOALS 9/10
Norwich OVER 2.5 GOALS 9/10
Sunderland DRAW 26/10
Everton WIN+BTTS 36/10
Stoke WIN 27/10
Man City DRAW HT – WIN FT 3/1
Arsenal DRAW 32/10
Liverpool OVER 2.5 GOALS 9/10
